A list of puzzling questions
Editor’s note: Every week, we feature three questions from our quiz master Shantanu Sharma—who is a researcher-writer, and has a side hustle as a professional quiz guru. He’d love to hear from you—so send your feedback/suggestions or just say ‘hi’ over at sharmashantanu312@gmail.com or @shantorasbox on Twitter.
How this works: Every correct answer is worth 10 points. If a question has multiple parts, each is worth 5 points. You have until Friday 12 pm to send in your answers to talktous@splainer.in or via DMs on Insta or Twitter. The correct answers will be published every Monday. The grand prize for the winner at the end of the month: a quarterly subscription for anyone of your choice—including the option of adding three months to your sub. That’s Rs 499 in value—so it’s pretty darn good:)
Rule to note: We will pick winners each month using a lucky draw.
The answers: to the previous week’s quiz are at the bottom—as are the winners for the fourth week of June.
One: Where did you spot this recently? What is the design inspired by? (5+5)
Two: Connect the elements below to work out a natural kingdom.
a) Entrance to a UNESCO World Heritage site
b) Focus on the tip
c) Eco-warrior extraordinaire
Three: Name the sports team represented by the images below. The left image represents its previous brand identity, while the right offers a hint to its current one. (5+5)
About last week’s quiz…
Here are the answers to the previous edition of the splainer quiz:
One: From the distinctive visual style, work out who's facing the camera for a change? Also, identify the peaking brand advertised.
Answer: Wes Anderson and Mont Blanc (5+5)
When Montblanc approached Wes Anderson to direct a campaign for the 100th anniversary of its iconic Meisterstück pen, they got more than expected. He agreed to direct the short film, but also asked to star in it. Then came a surprise: he arrived on set with a prototype pen he had designed himself and asked Montblanc to produce it. He called it the Schreiberling—German for "scribbler.” Launched in 1924, the Meisterstück is a symbol of timeless craftsmanship. To mark its centenary, Montblanc released a special edition with a cap ring engraved with the years 1924 and 2024. Limited to just 1,969 pieces, a nod to Anderson’s birth year, the limited edition features a solid gold nib engraved with one of his whimsical doodles. You can watch the ad film here.
Two: Connect the clues to arrive at a name making daily headlines.
a) the man who gave the name
b) the old identity
c) The whistleblower
Answer: Boeing
Boeing, one of the world’s leading aerospace companies, has been around for over a century, celebrating 100 years in 2016. Its story began when timber magnate William E Boeing attended an exposition in Seattle in 1909. Captivated by the sight of an aircraft, he later bought a boatyard near the Green River and converted it into his first aircraft workshop.
In the 1920s, Boeing created its first logo, featuring a bird with two stylized wings to represent quality and style, and the word “BOEING” in bold black letters. Today, the company faces scrutiny over safety concerns. Ed Pierson, a former senior manager at Boeing, turned whistleblower in 2019 after raising alarms about the 737 Max. Since then, he’s testified before Congress, appeared on major news networks, launched his website and podcast, and continues to push for accountability. These concerns resurfaced after the crash of Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the first major crash involving the model since its 2009 launch.
Three: What real-life glass ceiling will the woman on the left shatter later this year, achieved on-screen (by the other) almost three decades ago?
Answer: Chief of the Secret/Foreign Intelligence Service or Chief of MI6
For the first time in its 116-year history, MI6 will be led by a woman. Blaise Metreweli, who joined the agency in 1999, will take over as its 18th chief later this year, succeeding Sir Richard Moore. Currently serving as Director General “Q”, she oversees technology and innovation. On screen, Judi Dench paved the way for women in spy leadership when she debuted as M in ‘GoldenEye’ in 1995. The role was first played by Bernard Lee and later by Robert Brown, before Dench took over for seven films till her character’s death in ‘Skyfall’ (2012). Interestingly, MI6’s chief is commonly known as “C,” the only publicly named member of the service and not M.
And the winners are…
Here are the top five scorers for the fourth week of June. Congratulations!
